Importance Score: 65 / 100 🔴
Glasgow Building Becomes Canvas for Old Firm Rivalry Following Pope’s Death
In Glasgow, the passing of the Pope has ignited renewed tensions between Rangers and Celtic supporters, transforming a city building into a symbolic battleground. The death of the Catholic Church’s leader on Easter Monday has sparked fresh conflict amongst the fierce Old Firm adversaries, highlighting the deep-seated religious differences that underpin this intense footballing rivalry.
Vandalism Erupts as Rangers Fans Mock Papal Demise
Members of the Union Bears, a Rangers supporters group known for their ultra-style support, initiated the exchange by defacing a building adjacent to a motorway on Glasgow’s MacLellan Street. Their graffiti served to ridicule the death of Pope Francis. Against a backdrop of Rangers’ signature blue, white, and red colours, the painted slogans proclaimed “No Pope of Rome” and “Papa Francesco is Dead.”
Religious Divide Fuels Football Tensions
The animosity between the Old Firm clubs transcends mere football allegiances; it is profoundly intertwined with religious differences, forming a significant chasm between the two fan bases. Historically, Rangers has been identified as a Protestant club, while Celtic was established with Irish Catholic roots.
For a considerable portion of the 20th century, a contentious and unofficially acknowledged policy allegedly discouraged Rangers from signing Catholic players. The building targeted by the Union Bears for their provocative message is frequently utilized by supporter groups from both clubs due to its prominent and visible location.
Celtic Fans Retaliate with Counter-Message
Response from rival Celtic supporters was swift. Shortly after the anti-Pope graffiti was discovered, it was overwritten with paint in the colours of the Irish flag. The retaliatory message declared: “No flags or drums.”
vCard.red is a free platform for creating a mobile-friendly digital business cards. You can easily create a vCard and generate a QR code for it, allowing others to scan and save your contact details instantly.
The platform allows you to display contact information, social media links, services, and products all in one shareable link. Optional features include appointment scheduling, WhatsApp-based storefronts, media galleries, and custom design options.
Escalating Spat and Previous Incidents
A smaller inscription added to the Celtic fan’s message stated: “Dundee, Hamilton, yer drums are in the Vatican.”
This secondary message appears to allude to an incident from the previous year. In that prior event, The Green Brigade, a Celtic fan faction, reportedly stole a collection of apparel, drums, flags, and banners from the Union Bears. They subsequently boasted about this acquisition on social media and even created a mocking condolence card addressed “To UB, with deepest sympathy, thinking of you all, GB xx”.
These contentious taunts from the Gers supporters follow prior outrage caused by Celtic fans who chanted ‘Lizzie’s in a box’ after the death of Queen Elizabeth nearly three years prior.
On-Pitch Rivalry Continues Amidst Off-Field Spats
Presently, Celtic holds a substantial 15-point lead over Rangers in the Scottish Premiership, with only five games remaining, positioning them strongly to secure another league title under manager Brendan Rodgers. The Hoops are scheduled to face their Glasgow rivals at Ibrox Stadium on May 4th. Following this derby match, their focus will shift to concluding the season with a Scottish Cup final appearance against Aberdeen later in May.